


Picking Up Daisies

by oldmountainsoul



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Genre: Awkward Crush, F/F, Femslash February, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-08
Updated: 2015-02-07
Packaged: 2018-03-11 01:04:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,107
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3310103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oldmountainsoul/pseuds/oldmountainsoul
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merrill gets lost and hurt on her way home--a seriously crushing Esther Hawke comes to her rescue and carry her the rest of the way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Picking Up Daisies

**Author's Note:**

  * For [pedanticsoothsayer](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pedanticsoothsayer/gifts).



> The series is going to be mostly Bethany Hawke/Isabela but fear not, there will be plenty more Hawke/Merrill coming. Mostly fluff. Mayyyyyyyyybe smut eventually. May or may not add chapters to this, continuing the cuteness of the carrying Merrill through Kirkwall bit.
> 
> Anyways, enjoy! 
> 
> Special thanks to pedanticsoothsayer for being chief editor/beta reader/enabler/cheerleader!

Wicked Grace night at the Hanged Man was always a rowdy affair, as Anders and Fenris could never be expected to be civil for long.  Though with the combined efforts of Varric and the Hawke sisters, it usually went smoothly enough. No one had been injured yet at least. Between the three of them, they could usually disperse them before it got too out of hand. Then they'd take it as their cue to leave, and one of the sisters or Isabela would offer to make sure Merrill arrived home safely, and the boys would have a week to blow off steam before the next cards night.

 "Oh no, Varric gave me a great big ball of twine the other day! I made sure to use it on my way here, I should be able to find my way on my own now." Merrill beamed, her wide green eyes almost glowing in the dim lighting of the pub, and Hawke felt her stomach twist up into knots when the elf noticed her staring.

"Are you sure, Merrill? It's dark, and all those gangs are out wandering about at this time of night--it's not safe." Hawke stammered earnestly, helping Merrill gather her things as she headed toward the door.

 "I should be fine, lethallan. I can handle myself quite well nowadays you know. I've gotten better at beating things off with my staff!" she'd grinned, politely declining the offer.

"What with all those tricks up her sleeves, I'd be more worried about the gangs, Waffles." Varric had chuckled, then murmured to her discreetly, "If I'd known you were so eager to be her escort, I'd have kept it. But I suppose such genius can't be ignored."

"Oh, is the great and terrible Hawke sweet on our Kitten?" Isabela winked, leaning across the table on her elbows and resting her head on her elbows. "Do tell."

 "It's not--it's not like that! Merrill is my friend."  Hawke protested, blushing furiously.

"That's not what you seemed to be muttering in your sleep last night, Sister." Bethany interjected slyly, and if it were possible Hawke's blush deepened.

"That's not--That's hardly fair, Bethany! When we get back Mother's estate you are most definitely getting your own room." she said, hastily settling her tab and getting up from the table, nearly tripping over a bundle at her feet as she stood. "I think I’ve had enough embarrassment for the night--besides, poor Merrill, I think she’s left her things--I’ll just drop them off on my way. You three have fun, and make sure Bethany gets home safe, won’t you?”

 "We always do, Hawke." Varric assured her.

"Soooooooo, what did she seem to be muttering, Sweetness?" Isabela drawled in the most charming voice she could muster.

"You can't just stop there, Sunshine! You've gotta let us know if it was good enough for my next novel." Hawke overheard the dwarf exclaim as she departed. Maybe she'd regret leaving them to their fun after all.

* * *

Hawke hadn't gotten far from the pub when she heard muffled crying from one of the back alleys.

Treading softly, one hand on her daggers, she carefully rounded the corner, always wary of a trap since she'd made a name for herself in Kirkwall's underworld. But instead of a hoard of gangsters, she found Merrill, curled up behind one of the countless crates that littered Lowtown.

"Merrill! What's wrong? You should have been home by now." she fussed, rushing over to crouch beside her friend.

 "I lost track of my twine, lethallan." Merrill sobbed, "And when I tried to find it, I got distracted--it's such a lovely moon out tonight, and while I was training my eyes on the ground, looking for it, I caught sight of its reflection from a puddle, and it made me think of the Eluvian, and home, and Tamlen, and I kept going and I stumbled onto a broken bottle and now I'm lost and I don't know an inch of healing magic or have any bandages. By the Dread Wolf! How could I be so stupid? It was a gift from Varric, oh I bet he'll be furious-"

 "Slow down, Merrill. Are you hurt?" Hawke asked carefully, resting her hand on the elf's shoulder and meeting her eyes.

 "I think there's bits of the bottle still stuck in my foot. I haven't been able to get them out. But the twine, lethallan, I lost the twine!"

"I'm sure it's alright, but I'll go with you and we can explain to him what happened together. Tomorrow though, for now I'm sure he'd be more worried about your injuries, Merrill. May I take a look?"

 Merrill nodded, wiping her eyes and slowly lifting her foot so Hawke could examine it. Trying not to think too much, she gently held the back of Merrill's heel as she leaned in and peered closely. Dozens of tiny shards had pierced the elf's soleless shoes, and it had made a bloody mess of her foot. But in the poor light of the streets, and with only her fingers there was no way she'd be able to get all the pieces out.

 "Merrill, I have some bandages in my pack to help stop the bleeding, but we're going to need to go back to your house first if we're going to have any hope of getting the pieces out. You have some tools from fixing your magic mirror, don't you? Maybe we could use those to clean out your foot."

 "I think so." the elf said carefully, wiping her eyes. "But lethallan, I-I'm not sure I can walk."

"Then I'll carry you home."  

"Oh, ma vhenan! I can't ask that of you!"

"It's alright, Merrill." Hawke assured her, extremely grateful for the darkness as she felt a blush creeping onto her cheeks again, a now-familiar warmth rising in her belly that had nothing to do with the ale she’d had that night.

"I'm offering because I want to. Besides, I can't just leave you here," she laughed,

"Isabela would probably shank me if I did. And we can't have that, can we?"

"No, I wouldn't want Bela to hurt you either." Merrill smiled nervously. "Are you sure?"

"Of course. I promise I'll take care of you." Oh Maker that almost sounds like a proposal.

"A-alright then." Merrill stammered, and Hawke leaned down to gently hook her arms around Merrill's back and under her knees, lifting her slowly, offering assurances and making sure she was comfortable with every motion as the elf looped her arms around Hawke's neck.

"It's alright Merrill, I've got you."

"I know, ma vhenan."


End file.
